meat

The World Health Organization (WHO) is making headlines around the world today announcing that meat (primarily processed meat, and to some extent, red meat) causes cancer. Setting aside my own feeling on consuming animals (there is no legitimate reason, in this day and age, to eat an animal … none), this news is really nothing new (and the risk is extremely low) but these headlines are a welcome site across my social media channels.

Prompting this blog post.

I am fortunate to personally know many of the leaders in the whole-foods, plant-based movement and have had one-on-one conversations with them about the risks of eating meat. While many of these doctors will dig their heels in to make their point, they are usually very diplomatic and try not to come across too strong when delivering their message.

Me, on the other hand? I have nothing to lose.

Meat causes cancer and dairy feeds this disease.

When you consider the health advantages of eating a whole-foods, plant-based diet (vegan) and weigh it against the known risks of consuming dead animals, the writing’s on the wall pointing to the diet for optimum health. Meat eaters can yell “bacon!” and “cheese!” all they want but they know full well that these foods are killing them slowly.

Meat causes cancer in any quantity. Casein, in dairy, fuels this cancer and helps it grow. Put the two together and you’ve just eaten a hand grenade and you pulled the pin long ago.

As an aside, meat and dairy also cause heart disease but I’ll leave that for another blog post.

Many of my animal eating friends are debunking the WHO report (since, of course, they will do anything to continue eating animals) and that’s fine. “Let them eat steak!” as the saying goes. I’m not going to change their minds and any report coming from any government agency is also not going to change their actions. They choose to eat what they want and I choose to eat what I want and ne’er shall the two “meat.”

Which is fine. I suppose.

I will say, however, that I’ve known a few animal eaters who are well aware of what they are doing to their bodies. Animal eaters who have been prescribed a “magic pill” (or two) that will keep their arteries nice and clean so they can carry on with their bacon-eating ways. I’ve also been seeing many animal eaters posting comments today like “tell this to the woman who lives to be 100 and ate bacon every day.” To which I reply: “No. Tell this to the 8.5 million people who die from cancer every year.” Oh, wait, you can’t … they’re dead.

Stop looking for the cure for cancer and start looking at the cause.

Animal eaters swear that humans were meant to consume other sentient beings with no regard to the fact that they sense fear and feel pain. If these animal eaters are not going to stop eating meat for their own health and well-being, why would we think they would stop for the health and well-being of animals?

Recently a fellow vegan blogger shared a link with me about a program being piloted in Australia by food companies where the consumer develops the recipe and reaps the rewards in profits per unit sold. The more popular your creation, the more product sold, the more money you make. The link specifically referred to Domino’s Pizza Enterprises (Australia’s master franchise of Domino’s Pizza) and their Pizza Mogul Program. Where you “Create. Share. And Earn.” from your creativity. In theory, this is a wonderful idea. I’d love to develop a vegan taco pizza or a vegan mushroom “bacon” pizza or a vegan kale and white garlic pizza … or any other variety of delicious and nutritious pizzas using a nice thin crust and vegan cheese. But, of course, this isn’t the direction this promotion is headed in.

The number one selling pizza is (drum roll please): “Mega Meat Lovers.” What a surprise. How Australian. How American, actually.

There are so many things wrong with this being promoted and perpetuated (yes, I know I am inadvertently promoting it now). Set aside the health issues, does anyone find out abou this pizza,, go online, order it, pay for it, eat it, and digest it … thinking about the carnage?

Let’s take a quick body count:

Rasher bacon = 1 pig

Ground beef = 1 cow

Smoked ham = 1 pig

Pepperoni = 1 pig

Pulled pork = 1 pig

Italian sausage = 1 pig

Mozzarella = 1 cow (min.)

Barbecue sauce = 0 animals

One pizza. Seven dead animals. Seven.

Seven innocent animals that are being tortured, raped, brutalized, abused, and murdered unnecessarily to create a pizza. A pizza? There is no reason. NO reason to ever eat animals. Unless you are an awful person.

Go vegan.

In the interest of fairness, there is one pizza called the Jalapiña that includes pineapple and jalapeño. This, with some shredded VioLife pizza cheese? Yes, please.

[ITHACA, NY] Cornell University Vegan Society and ThankTank Creative present a limited screening of the controversial documentary “COWSPIRACY: the Sustainability Secret” on Thursday, October 23, 2014 at 7:30 PM at Regal Ithaca Mall Stadium 14. Reserved seating tickets are currently available and recommended.

“COWSPIRACY: the Sustainability Secret” is a groundbreaking feature-length environmental documentary following an intrepid filmmaker as he uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today – and investigates why the world’s leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it. As eye-opening as “Blackfish” and as inspiring as “An Inconvenient Truth,” this shocking yet humorous documentary reveals the absolutely devastating environmental impact large-scale factory farming has on our planet.

“This is an important film for everyone to see,” said Eric C Lindstrom, President of ThankTank Creative. “Every few years a documentary comes along that everyone who cares about this planet needs to see, this is one of those documentaries.”

“COWSPIRACY: the Sustainability Secret” has been screening across the world since its release and this limited engagement screening at Regal Ithaca Mall Stadium 14 provides the Finger Lakes Region an opportunity to learn more about the environmental impact of large-scale factory farming around the world.

If you’re like me, you’re frequently on Facebook. And, if you’re like me, you have joined the various Facebook groups dedicated to being vegan. And, if you’re like me, you’ve grown very tired of the same questions being asked over and over and over again.

So, as a public service, I have written this blog post to answer all of these questions in one convenient place.

The following are actual questions that have been posted multiple times across Facebook … again, these are real questions … I can’t make this stuff up. I take that back. I could make this stuff up … that’s what I normally do but in this case, these questions are real.

Are bananas vegan? Somewhere someone was told that bananas may be sprayed with a spray derived from shrimp and crab shells that allows bananas to stay fresh for a longer period of time. Unfortunately, this could be the case with some non-organic bananas. You may want to avoid these. But, the banana itself is vegan.

Can I raise my dog vegan? Yes. Our dog is vegan. The oldest dog in the world was vegan. Dogs thrive on a vegan diet just as humans do. It’s good for them. Cats, on the other hand, are hunters/carnivores and require meat to stay healthy (and, more importantly, happy).

Is breast milk vegan? Yes. Breast milk (which is usually reserved for babies, by the way) is vegan. Same species, with consent. Same is true for swallowing semen. Vegan. Same species, with consent. If you consume either of these without consent, we may have to notify the authorities.

My neighbor has happy hens can I eat the eggs? If you want, sure. But, you’re not vegan then. Even if a hen walked into your living, on its own volition and laid an egg and then got in a car and drove itself to a farm sanctuary to live out its life and you decided to eat that egg … you’re not vegan. Vegans don’t consume meat, eggs, dairy, or honey.

Are Oreo’s vegan? Yes. So are most potato chips, Sour Patch Kids, and some PopTarts. There is so much vegan junk food out there that I bet you could trick an omnivore into becoming vegan just by feeding them junk food alone (can someone say “French fries!”). Remember this song? Love it!

Someone told me that plants feel pain, is this true? No. Plants have no central nervous system. Look at it this way, would you take your kids strawberry picking or to the local slaughterhouse. There. Is. No. Comparison. Lettuce doesn’t scream.

Can kids be raised vegan? Yes, just don’t feed them meat, eggs, dairy, or honey and guess what? They’re vegan … and they are going to thrive! It’s the healthiest way to live.

What about soy? Is it safe to eat? Yes. You can safely consume up to five servings a day. Soy is loaded with protein which is why the meat industry is trying its hardest to make everyone fear soy. In its organic/non-GMS state … it’s good for you and delicious. If you’re a man and you eat too much, you might grow get growavaginaitis (see here).

Do I need to take supplements when I am vegan? B12 for sure. A vegan multi-vitamin is helpful, too. Other than that, you will be more than healthy enough eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and vegan junk food.

Since becoming vegan six months ago, I seem to be tired all the time. What should I do? Sleep more.

I find myself having cravings for meat, what should I do? Eat meat. Or not. Sounds like maybe you’re not ready to go vegan. Maybe you’ve been lured by the promise of a healthy diet and that’s true but there is no such thing as a vegan who craves meat. They don’t exist.

Eat more veggies. Take your time. Replace items one-by-one (many experts will tell you to start with dairy, by the way … it’s pretty much the worst thing on the planet for you and there is more rape, torture and death in one glass of milk than there is in a steak).

I’d like to add that we do want as many new vegans to come over as possible. Give it a try. Ask as many questions as you need to if it helps maintain a cruelty-free lifestyle. Becoming vegan takes effort and commitment and becoming an ethical vegan takes even more time. But it’s worth it. For you. The planet. And, the animals.

With this said, when any of these questions are asked (and they will be asked), simply supply the asker with the following link ( http://wp.me/p3EQ27-14N ) which will go directly to this handy vegan answer guide.

Like this:

If you have to eat meat and, face it, it seems like some of us need meat to survive, you should always check for the “100% Dead Animal” seal on every package. Your family deserves this and, this way, you’ll be sure that you “don’t let that meal get away.”

Forget “grass-fed, or “free-range” or even “humanely-killed,” what’s most important when planning your dinner is making sure you are cooking 100% dead animal. Don’t settle for anything less …

Like this:

[BUFFALO CITY, OK] Harper County Police and the Harper County Medical Examiner’s Office are investigating the death of a Buffalo City man this morning.

A 92-year-old Buffalo City resident was found dead in his modest prairie home earlier this week. Local authorities believe his vegan lifestyle may have contributed to his unexpected death. David Nash, retired postal worker for Buffalo City, was discovered deceased in his reclining chair by a neighbor who felt “something was just not right.”

“I considered David a friend, in spite of the fact he only ever brought hummus and veggie burgers to our community cookouts,” said Daryl Leno, a neighbor of Nash’s. “Considering the bizarre diet he was on, I’m pretty sure that’s what killed him. I mean, come on, what is hummus anyway?”

The County medical examiner confirmed upon closer inspection of Nash’s home, they could only find whole foods, beans, rice, fruits, vegetables, and some form of “soy” milk in his refrigerator and pantry.

“There is no way a person can survive on this diet,” said Pablo Rodriguez, Chief Medical Examiner. “Where’s the steaks? The eggs? It’s no wonder he didn’t live to be 94 with this type of lifestyle. It’s just unhealthy.”

In related “unhealthy” news, a popular food blogger and Instagram sensation known previously as The Blonde Vegan, made national headlines when she admitted that trying to stay alive consuming only food that is good for you, foods found in a vegan diet, and avoiding meat, dairy, and eggs, nearly killed her.

Jordan, a yoga junkie, passionate writer, fitness freak, smoothie addict, dream chaser, cleanse creator, founder of TBV Apparel, wannabe food photographer & lover of all things health related has since converted back to an omnivore’s diet and already feels healthier and reports that her period, which had stalled during her 18-months vegan, has returned. This medical oddity also proves that vegans cannot reproduce and if the planet went 100% vegan, human life would cease to exist.

“If I could say just one thing to Mr. Nash in the great beyond, it would be ‘bacon’,” Rodriguez added, while biting into a double cheeseburger over Nash’s corpse during his planned autopsy. “If only someone had told this old man that humans require meat and meat protein and eggs and milk and bacon … to live, he’d still be with us today.”

Drive up Route 34 to Route 90 toward Aurora, NY, and you’ll pass two exceptional wineries as you come up on a bistro unlike anything you can experience anywhere else. Pumpkin Hill Bistro and Vineyard, a 30-minute drive from Cornell Campus is situated on a grassy hill and vineyard overlooking Cayuga Lake. The old farmhouse is welcoming with its outdoor, indoor, upstairs and downstairs seating.

Jen decided to take us there for the first time for a very special occasion … it was Sunday and we were hungry and wanted to try something new. She called ahead and found out that the Executive Chef, Cookie, would accommodate our gluten-free and vegan diet. And she did. She really did.

Our meal was comprised of a starter of hummus and olive tapenade with homemade fresh out of the oven gluten-free vegan toasted bread triangles. This was one of those moments when I asked the server 5-6 times if they knew what gluten-free vegan meant … because this bread was that good.

I ordered a black cup of coffee that was also delicious and our main course consisted of black bean burgers stacked high with vegetables on Cookie’s homemade gluten-free vegan buns that were so good … I had to ask the server 5-6 times again if she knew what “gluten-free vegan” meant. She did.

The entire meal was fantastic. Truly beyond anything we could ever get in Ithaca (which is known for its amazing restaurants for omnivores). Besides the ambiance, the flavors, the company, and the location … what made this trip so special and this meal so memorable was, Cookie.

She takes such pride in what she is preparing. She later mentioned to us that she believes everyone should enjoy what they are eating and not be limited by what they can/not eat. She is what every chef should be … passionate about her food and focused on the patrons.

The entire day was so great, we vowed to return and return we did. Calling the morning before we left lets Cookie know to pre-make the gluten-free vegan rolls and to let the servers know we’re coming. We asked her to make extra rolls this time so we could bring a half dozen home. This time I ordered the grilled portobello burger and a side of rosemary-infused gluten-free pasta and Jen got the black bean burger again with homemade kettle chips. All of it was so good. I also love that these vegan burgers are served with a steak knife and homemade vegan mayo. Every item offered on the menu is made from scratch.

The meal was just as delicious on our second visit and the waitstaff just as attentive. There are very few restaurants we have visited that are this accommodating and generous with their time. While Ithaca may boast an incredible diversity of dining options for omnivores, we were hard-pressed to think of one place that would put this much effort into two (and a half) gluten-free vegan patrons. I cannot recommend Pumpkin Hill Bistro and Vineyard enough.

As luck would have it, I had on-hand some of my favorite ingredients and decided to whip up a diner classic burger melt with sweet potato fries. Of course this one had to be gluten-free and vegan.

I heated my skillet and melted 2T vegan butter and added the two slices of Le Garden Bakery grainless Italian bread. This is a local Ithaca baker that has an innovative line of grainless products. They are not only gluten-free but they are also grain-free. Made from bean flour, potato starch and fairy dust, their baked goods are delicious and nutritious. However, at this point, all I cared about was getting it to soak up the butter.

Once it started to lightly brown, I added my heated Wildwood shiitake mushroom burger on one side and covered that with two slices of VioLife cheddar cheese and put a lid on it.

Under low heat, the cheese can start to melt without the bread burning.

Meanwhile, I had my sweet potato fries cooking in the oven as I was preparing my tomato, organic ketchup, and chipotle Vegenaise.

Seeing the cheese starting to melt, I uncovered the sandwich and added the last three ingredients and assembled the sandwich right in the cooling skillet.

I then plated the cut sandwich with the fries and a side of chipotle Vegenaisse for dipping! Proving, yet again, that vegans can eat well … very well.

Like this:

“My Name is Eric and I’m a Omnivoraholic,” I lamented in front of a room full of total strangers.

“Hi, Eric.” The reply in unison was ominous but what did I expect from a group of vegans who now consider themselves “recovering omnivores.” We were all once meateaters, milk drinkers, and egg scramblers.

“It has been just over two years since I last ate meat.” Knowing me, it was probably chicken wings. Or possibly a pepperoni pizza. Or steak. Just thinking about it now makes me harken back to those “good old days” when I could eat whatever I wanted. Meat, cheese, eggs … sometimes all three of these appeared in one breakfast and later that day in my lunch. And dinner.

I knew I had a problem when I saw wing sauce drippings on my bed sheets and I had a half-eaten baloney sandwich in my back pocket dripping mayonnaise into my shoes.

I had hit rock bottom.

And that’s when I found Omnivores Anonymous (OA) and I learned about the 12-step program for quitting meat, dairy, and eggs for life. We learned we were powerless over meat, dairy, and eggs. But mostly cheese.

We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. His name is T. Colin Campbell.

We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to fruits and vegetables and embrace a plant-based diet.

We cleared our closets of wool, silk, and leather even though we loved our Limited Edition Tommy Bahamas Pool Ball shirt and meanwhile, we cleared our arteries of gunk and goo and fat and poo.

We all had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we try to carry this message to other omnivores, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. We knew it was in us to grab a hold of our own destiny, to clear a path to better overall health.

But, most importantly, we knew it had to be done … for the animals.

We had all made a commitment and you, too, can make the commitment to …

Recently the Tobacco-free campaign where I live has been plastering the buses and the radio with the “duh” messaging about selling cigarettes in drugstores. Why would drugstores still sell cigarettes when they also sell the drugs and medications to both help quit as well as deal with the nasty side effects and diseases of smoking?

Why does my gym give away free pizza and bagels?

They have a captive consumer that completes the “circle of death.” Drug companies (and doctors) rely on sick people to survive. Healthy people contribute nothing to the global economy so let’s keep Americans ill.

CVS drugstores this year made the very smart decision, in spite of the fact they will lose billions in revenue, to stop selling cigarettes. The pressure from the public and the obvious disconnect in this messaging will eventually force other drugstores to follow suit and stop selling cigarettes and tobacco products. This is a very good move forward toward a healthier nation.

But when will the public, and these very same retailers, make the same connection with meat, eggs, and dairy?

The headline for an article that was heavily circulated this week reads: “Diets high in meat, eggs and dairy could be as harmful to health as smoking.” You can read the entire article here but the basic message is in the headline. Meat, eggs, and dairy cause cancer. When you see someone smoking, you imagine their lungs suffering. When you see someone drinking, you think about their liver deteriorating. But, how many people watch someone eating a burger or bacon and think to themselves: “hmm … he’s going to get cancer … probably shouldn’t eat that …”

It’s just not as obvious.

I’ve said it previous posts, I believe in my lifetime there will be warning labels on meat, eggs, and dairy. These foods are actually causing more cancer, and other horrible diseases, than smoking will ever cause, but, alas, you can still buy them at your local drugstore. Of course there is a solution for all of this …

[EDMOND, OK] Earlier this week, researchers at the Midwestern Institute for Meat Consumption, in Edmond, Oklahoma, released new data that suggests increased meat consumption may actually add years to your life. In a blind study, participants were offered beef, chicken, and pork in a Brazilian barbecue-style setting for one week and the results were later published.

“Contrary to what vegetarians and dietary vegans want you to believe,” remarked Dr. Frederick Lundquist, who headed the study. “Increased meat consumption seems to add years to human life. It’s our firm belief that every American, and some Swedes, should embrace this information and go whole hog with eating meat and meat-like substances.”

The study suggested that human life extension from consuming more meat (CMM) can be achieved in the following ways:

Humans may actually be getting too much blood to their heart and organs, resulting in undue stress on these body parts with what researchers are calling “fast blood.” By consuming meat, the arteries actually slow blood flow to a reasonable speed. Dr. Lundquist added, “think of it as a highway and meat acts as the police radar, making sure the blood flows at a reasonable speed.”

Meat consumption, and the continued support of the meat industry means there are less animals on the planet stealing precious oxygen required by humans. By eliminating animals, the planet can sustain more human life through more available oxygen.

Humans may actually live longer with the belief they climbed to the top of the food chain all on their own. Denying humans this bravado is a blow to human ego (HE) and could result in depression that may result in early death.

Consuming meat also leads to erectile dysfunction thereby assisting in controlling world population, leaving more room to roam and more food to consume, and more oxygen to breath, for the humans currently residing on the planet.

Eating meat and the continued support of the meat industry fuels the U.S. economy and provides jobs that provide retirement plans and nobody wants to die before retirement.

Eating more meat results in obesity and overweight humans are less likely to be swept away by wind storms or sucked up into air conditioning ducts or jet engines – oftentimes resulting in death.

This study was sponsored by Tyson and National Beef and copies are available by calling 786-837-9897. Calls to the Midwestern Institute for Meat Consumption and Dr. Lundquist in regard to this study were left unanswered.

Like this:

“Eating a vegan diet is SO expensive. I could never go vegan.” Really? Right up there with the cheese excuse or the concern that vegans are dropping dead like houseflies from a lack of protein — the other big vegetarian/omnivore argument is that eating vegan (which means, essentially, plant-based whole foods) is cost prohibitive for the average person. Eating more meat, dairy, and eggs somehow is so much more affordable that it’s impossible to go vegan without going broke. Really? It’s not.*

Check this out (prices are current as of July 2013/Northeast Region U.S.):

1 lb. ground beef = $3.10 versus 1 lb. of broccoli = $1.29

1 lb. turkey breast = $2.50 versus 1 lb. of spinach = $1.99

1 lb. bacon = $3.99 versus 1 lb. of portobello mushrooms = $2.15

1 lb. of chicken = $1.99 versus 1 lb. of uncooked brown rice = $1.60

1 gallon of milk $2.99 = versus 1 gallon of almond milk = $2.00

One dozen eggs = $3.50 versus 1 brick of organic tofu = $3.25

Total for the omnivore column? $18.07. Total for the vegan column? $12.28. A savings of almost $6. Not to mention the thousands you’ll save over time in medication and hospital bills.

If you took all the plant-based ingredients above, you not only have the makings for a very healthy meal, you could save a ton of money (and, by the way, get plenty of vitamins, minerals AND protein).

Just add a little wheat free tamari, a teaspoon of evaporated cane juice, and sesame oil and you’ll have all you need to make a delicious fried rice. Eating healthy doesn’t require more money but it does require more time and creativity. Taking fruits, vegetable, beans, rice, and tofu and creating delicious meals might be daunting at first but once you explore all the amazing, natural flavors these foods contain … you’ll soon find yourself eating like royalty.

Ge vegan.

* This does not includes any government subsidies that may be given to families in need. These food items inevitably include dairy milk, cheese, and eggs. One more way the U.S. government is trying to keep its citizens unhealthy.

Like this:

[TULSA, OK] Police arrested a man Friday night outside of Oklahoma City for allegedly attempting to eat a baby. Witnesses say the bizarre cannibalistic behavior was brought on by an argument between the suspect, whose identity has not yet been released, and an unrelated, judgmental vegan. The six-month-old is recovering from bite marks and has been transferred to county hospital. Meanwhile the mother of the baby, who was nursing him at the time is pressing charges.

“There is something seriously wrong with that man,” the woman stated to investigators. “To take a tiny, innocent baby while he is nursing and to mock ‘eat him’ to make his point, goes beyond insane. I hope they give him life in prison.”

Eyewitnesses on the scene report hearing a conversation between the suspect and a known vegan, where the topic of survival on a deserted island began heating up into a more serious debate. The vegan, who said he wouldn’t kill any animals in order to survive was further taunted by the omnivore who said, “we didn’t claw our way to the top of the food chain to graze on grass.” The omnivore then continued to argue about the health advantages of a dairy and egg diet and began shouting, “where else can we get protein and calcium … where else can we get protein and calcium?!”

The smug vegan then responded by taunting the omnivore further, asking if he was going to eat meat, would he be willing to kill the animal himself each time he was hungry. The incident then heightened again when the vegan asked the omnivore if he was aware that baby pigs and cows, as young as six months, are taken from their mother to be slaughtered and brought to market. The omnivore, noticeably enraged at this point, turned and grabbed the six-month old baby boy from his mother’s breast and shouted, “you mean like THIS?”

The suspect is currently being held on bail in Oklahoma City jail and was quoted as saying, “vegans are so annoying!” Police are continuing the investigation.